It’s fake news: BCL leader says he did not return any money

The news glorifying a former Chhatra League leader went viral. The news, published in several national dailies, claimed that the former BCL leader returned Tk 4.5 crore after the completion of a project. But in truth it was fake news. 

The ex-student leader, Abu Tayub, himself refuted the news. He told The Business Standard, "I did not receive any additional money and I did not return any money." 

"I am a sub-contractor; so could I return the money?" he pointed out. 

In February 2017, the Public Works Department (PWD) took up a project to build a park at Bayezid area of Chattogram at an estimated cost of Tk12.75 crore. The amusement park was supposed to be built on 3.5 acres of land, however, it was built on 2.5 acres as one acre land was kept for a school. The park was opened to public on October 8.

Tayub completed the work – Bayezid Sabuj Udyan – as a sub-contractor at a cost of Tk8.24 crore.

The PWD signed a contract with two local contractors name M/S S Ananta and Yeakub to build the park. The two contractors  sub-contracted the work to Abu Tayub. 

Engr Md Uzir Ali, superintendent engineer of the PWD (Chattogram Circle-1) said, "There is no scope to return funds because we do not give contractors money in advance. A total of Tk 8.24 crore was spent on the project, we received the same amount from the ministry and paid the same amount to the contractor."

What actually happened

After taking up the project, the PWD made a Detailed Project Plan (DPP), giving an estimating cost of Tk12.75 crore. The DPP was approved by the Prime Minister on September 10, 2017. 

Then PWD floated a tender and signed an agreement with M/S S Ananta and Yeakub on April 15, 2018. 

The PWD wrote to the Finance Ministry for Tk8.24 crore to pay the bill. They received the the money in four installments.

Engineer Md Uzir Ali said Tk12.75 crore was estimated in the draft of the Detailed Project Plan.

"The draft of the DPP and the finally completed work are not the same. There are countless examples of projects being revised," he added. 

How the issue came to spotlight

Former Public Work Minster Engineer Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the park on October 8. Local MP Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal was also present at the event. Badal made allegations of graft against the PWD in his inauguration speech.    

To refute the allegation, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain pointed out some good work done by the PWD. 

Picking an example, Mosharraf said, "The estimated cost of the park was Tk12.75 crore, however, it was completed for Tk8.24 crore. The rest of the money was saved by the PWD." 

Some newspapers misinterpreted the "saving remark" of the former minister, and published stories glorifying the former BCL leader Tayub.